PBH2107 - Public health and ethics short international program

This unit will grant credit to Monash students enrolling in the Yale University Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics' 2-month intensive bioethics Summer program. This is a unique program open to American and international undergraduate and postgraduate students, and to professionals working in health science, medicine and health law. It focuses on the ethical requirements for research involving humans, animals and the environment Participants will attend a series of morning lectures presented by Yale faculty staff and visiting scholars from around the world, surveying the field of medical, research and environmental ethics. In addition, students will attend 6 intensive seminars on special topics such as care for the dying, bioethics and law, bioethics and media, literature, technology and ethics, public health ethics, and feminist approaches to bioethics. Each interactive seminar will represent 12 hours of contact and an equivalent number of hours of private study. Students will also attend a bioethics film/discussion series; participate in field trips to bioethics-related institutions; present a structured group debate; and present an original paper at a final in-house "mini-conference".

The aim of the program is to expose a diverse range of students to the various legal and ethical challenges facing health practice today. For Monash students this program provides a valuable insight into other health care systems around the world, and how these differ to the Australian context.

The selection process will involve two stages. Students will complete the application process as per the Summer Institute's guidelines and first submit these documents to the Medical Education and Research Quality unit (MERQ) at SPHPM by the internal deadline. MERQ will then create a shortlist of potential applicants taking into account academic history, achievement relative to opportunity, relevant work experience, career aspirations and responses to key selection criteria. This shortlist will then be sent to the Summer Institute and the final selection will be made.

MERQ will liaise with Monash Abroad to ensure the selection process is fair and equitable and that students from a variety of faculties and year levels are considered. Where appropriate consultation with student groups will assist in the decision-making process.